Como Park Senior High Newsletter

October

15- Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00 PM

17-18- No School (MEA)

29- Picture Retakes

November

4-PAC Meeting 6:00

7- End of Quarter 1

8- No School (Professional Development)

12- Booster Club Meeting 6:30

13- 9th grade Field Trip 3DE

Please check out our upcoming athletic events: https://sppscomoparkhighschool.rschoolteams.com/

Attention Parents!

The Como Park Leadership Team is seeking a parent member who is able to attend our meetings every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month from 3:15-4:15. Our next meeting will be October 14th. Parents on our leadership team can help identify issues and influence decisions to improve education for all students. The parent on our team will be our "voice" for Como families providing ideas, concerns, and feedback. Please fill out this form if you're interested in becoming part of Como Park's Leadership Team. Thank you.

Attention All Student Drivers

If you don’t have a parking permit, please see Ms. Lor in the main office to get one. Be sure your vehicle is displaying your permit sticker. Student parking is the area closest to Como Lake across from the football field. All students should stay out of reserved and visitor parking spaces. The parking area will be monitored, so please follow the rules or violators may be towed. Thank you for your cooperation.

NEW FOR QUARTER 2!

Hello Parent/Guardian,

Como Park Senior High School is excited to announce the release of a new feature for your Parent Portal! The Parent Absence Request tool is being piloted at a few schools in the district and we will be opening it for use. Soon, you’ll have the ability to submit a request that informs the school office in advance when your child is not going to be in school directly from the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Examples include:

• Child wakes up sick

• Child has a doctor appointment

• Child will miss school because of a family event

These requests are processed by the office staff and an attendance record is created on the student’s attendance record.

For Karen, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong, click here.

Link to Instructions for Parents

FALL PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

Tuesday October 15th from 4:00-7:00pm

Need transportation? Contact Jamie Hoffman at jamie.hoffman@spps.org or 651-744-5529 for more information.

Cougars Abroad!

Leah Deiman (Spanish teacher) is leading a trip to Costa Rica in Summer 2025, and Spain in Summer 2026, and your student is invited!

We’re excited to tell you more about the trip we’re planning with EF Tours, our educational travel partner. Please be sure to register for this info session to be considered for this opportunity: https://rsvp.eftours.com/wxpf6cp

Those who register for the meeting will be eligible to receive a $200 tour scholarship for Spain and $100 for Costa Rica and be eligible for Risk-Free Enrollment if they enroll on tour!

Attention Families of 9th and 10th Graders

We’re going to Thailand in Summer 2027, and you’re invited!

We’re excited to tell you more about the trip we’re planning with EF Tours, our educational travel partner. Please be sure to register for this info session to be considered for this opportunity: https://rsvp.eftours.com/8gwtkxy

When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical for creating the global citizens of tomorrow, and we would love to have your student join us on this adventure.

In this info session, we’ll talk about:

• How this opportunity will benefit your student
• What we’ll see and do on our trip
• Everything that’s included in this experience
• How your child can earn academic credit
• How we’re keeping this safe and affordable
• How to enroll on this trip (before it fills up!) during EF’s risk-free enrollment period

There are limited spots on this trip, so we would love to have you attend this meeting to learn more about this exciting opportunity!

Girls Basketball Sign Ups & Tryouts

Basketball sign ups will be in all three lunches starting October 15th, 16th, and 17th

Basketball Tryouts

When: November 11th, 12th, and 13th

Time: 3:30-5:00

Where: Como Park Senior High School gym

Dear Como families,

School pictures are ready!

To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.

All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card. More about the SmileSafe program here.

Picture retakes at Como Park will be on October 29th.

Como Park Senior High School is a Title I School. In Saint Paul, to be designated as a Title I school, a school must have a concentration percentage of free and reduced lunch eligible students of 49% or more based on the previous year’s October 1 count.

A percentage of the Title I funds at a school are used to support parents in their involvement in their children's education. Schools provide opportunities for parents to learn how to support their children in their school work, to be involved at the school through volunteering and decision making opportunities and they assist parents by removing barriers to being involved.

Please check out some important school documents:

Family-School Compact

Family Engagement Plan

SCIP (School Continuous Improvement Plan) Summary

Property Rites by Alan Haehnel and The Seussification of Romeo and Juliet!

Where: Como Park Senior High School Auditorium

When: Saturday December 7th at 12:00 PM and 7:00 PM

Sunday December 8th at 2:00 PM

Get your tickets early!

Link to purchase tickets:

https://comoparkhs.brownpapertickets.com

If you have any questions or need support, please contact your student’s counselor:

9th-12th (Alphabetical by last name):

A-Fr Holly Moser, holly.moser@spps.org, 651-744-4664, (https://calendly.com/holly-moser)

Fu-Ma Kia Thao, kia.thao@spps.org, 651-744-8170 (https://calendly.com/msthao)

Mc-Reh Farah Abuqalbeen, farah.abuqalbeen@spps.org, 651-744-1141 (https://calendly.com/farah1)

Rei-Z Choua Vang, choua2.vang@spps.org, (https://calendly.com/choua2-vang)

The CPC is Open! The Career Pathway Center (CPC) at Como is open Monday-Thursday from 9:00am-4:00pm in room 1304 (across from the Counselor’s Office). Students can email Ms. Aisha (amohamed.ach@spps.org), check out the Career Pathway Center website, drop into the CPC, or sign up for an appointment! for information on student career opportunities, college planning, and scholarships and check out the Como Park page under “Student” and then “Career Pathway Center”.

For the latest updates from the counseling department and the Como Career Pathway Center, click here.

Attention all students interested in business and being an entrepreneur! See flier below for a terrific opportunity to develop business skills and to make some money.

I am Mr. Tou, and I serve as the Cultural Specialist here at Como Senior. Before coming here, I worked at Battle Creek Middle School, Harding High School and Dayton's Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary. My hobbies include spending time with my kids, playing cornhole with my friends, and graphic design as a side interest. Como Senior is incredible, and I feel welcomed here, just like many of you do. The staff support each other in the best way possible, and the students are engaged in their learning and activities.

I am located in room 1303, near the lunchroom. Feel free to stop by and say hi! You can also catch me during bus arrival or dismissal and on the second floor during lunch period. Go Cougars!

Congratulations to our Attendance Superstars!

Each month the PBIS team will select one student from each grade level to honor and celebrate them on outstanding attendance. To be selected, students must attend class each day on time (excluding excused absences). As part of our SCIP (School-wide improvement plan) our focus is to improve attendance and tardiness throughout the school day. For the month of September, we would like to honor the following students for their outstanding attendance. Thank you to each and every one of you who continue to make attendance a top priority.

9th grade- Nay Moe

10th grade- Elise Helmer

11th grade- Rickelle Van Dyke

12th grade- Aidan (Pann) Erickson

Como Park Homecoming Festivities were a Hit!

Two days of fun starting with an energetic pep fest during school and the Homecoming dance on Friday night. Students dressed to impress and danced the night away. Saturday morning was a delight as our band shined during the Como Park parade throughout our neighborhood. The junior and senior girls played against each other in the Powder Puff flag football game with the juniors coming out on top. Staff vs. Students flag football game ended the day with teamwork, crowd cheers, and an abundance of laughter as the Staff prevailed. Food trucks/stands, inflatable bouncy house, and a climbing wall added to the beautiful weather and comaraderie between Como Park Senior High School staff, students, families and the community. What a wonderful HOCO 24-25! Click here for pics of the events.

MCJROTC gives thousands of hours of community service hours each school year to teach the MCJROTC cadets an understanding of the community needs, develop empathy, and improve their self-confidence and self-esteem. It also provides Mental and physical health to reduce stress, improve their immune system, and lower your risk of some physical and mental health problems. Lastly volunteering can give all of us sense of accomplishment, pride, and identity. Pictured here having a blast supporting the Twin City Marathon setup this past weekend.

Leadership. Approximately fifty (50) Como Park Female Cadets participated in our annual Female Symposium during regular supported school hours. Local female military women, female school administrators, past female command staff cadets, and female pillars from the community mentored, imparted wisdom, inspired, and advised the program's girls during these unpredictable turbulent times. Young ladies were assured that a support system is in place here at Como Park for alternate paths other than just traditional college. All and all, the life stories of the panel's presenters were impactful and powerful. Good job orchestrating it today by Junior Cadet Providence Mwakana. Ooh Rah

75 CIS (College in the Schools) Writing Studio students attended Field Day at the University of Minnesota. We met with other schools from around Minnesota in Coffman Union to hear from current University of Minnesota students about what life is like as a college student. Next students attended break -out sessions including Weisman Art Museum, and Walter Library. The most exciting part of the day was choosing lunch (Canes and Chipotle were favorites). We all enjoyed the beautiful University of Minnesota campus. It was a great day.

WHERE: JOHNSON HIGH SCHOOL

WHEN: OCTOBER 12-13

CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE FLYER WITH ACTIVITIES AND TIMES

Would you like to be part of a SPPS Parent Advisory Council? There are several groups to choose from such as: American Indian PAC, Gender & Sexual Diversity PAC, Karen PAC, Latino Consent Decree PAC, Parents of African American Students PAC, Special Education PAC, and Somali PAC. For more information, click here.

Would you like to know what is happening around the Como Park neighborhood? Click the link for the latest news and updates from your District 10 Como Community Council. View this email as a webpage

If your teen needs a wardrobe refresher, please see Gail at Como Park for a free shopping event coupon at Aunt Bec's Boutique. Clothes are on-trend at no cost to you. For more information, see the link below.

https://auntiebecsboutique.com/

Change to Chill from Allina Health

Assess Your Emotional Wellness This October

October is national emotional wellness month - which means it's a great time to consider how you're taking care of yourself emotionally. Emotional health requires awareness of your feelings and processing them in an appropriate manner. When you're emotionally healthy, you're better able to cope with setbacks and disappointments - and manage your stress. Here are six strategies for strengthening your emotional health.

• Reduce stress. There are many different ways you can reduce stress in life. First, though, you’ll need to recognize your own signs of stress and identify the source. When stress lasts a long time it can affect your physical health, so you want to keep it in check.

• Get quality sleep. Sleep is important for a healthy, balanced physical and emotional life. These sleep tips can help you feel more rested. A sleep tracker will help you monitor your habits so you can make changes to improve your nighttime rest.

• Strengthen social connections. There are many ways you can reinforce your relationships with other people. Tried-and-true techniques such as phone calls and greeting cards can revitalize relationships. Volunteering – whether alone or with friends – is a great way to meet new people. Check out the activities for social connections provided by Hello4Health.

• Cope with loss. It’s natural to grieve after you’ve lost something or someone that is meaningful to you. Recognize that you may have both physical and emotional responses to a loss that need attention. Taking time to put your life back together is well worth the effort.

• Be mindful. Watch this short video on mindfulness from Change to Chill to better understand what it means to be mindful. Different activities and techniques such mindful walking or this awareness experiment can help you accept your thoughts, feelings and sensations, and become more calm.

• Build resilience. Being able to bounce back after a setback is important. As you follow some of the tips above, you might find that you’re able to recover from difficulties or disappointments faster.

Prefer a language other than English? You can open the newsletter link and click the button on the top to have it translated into many different languages. Please know that the translation function may be inaccurate or incomplete. If you have any questions, please call us at 651-293-8800.

For Karen, Somali, Hmong, and Spanish, click here.